Calibrachoa plant named &#39;kakegawa s68&#39;

ABSTRACT

‘Kakegawa S68’ is a new  Calibrachoa  cultivar particularly distinguished by having a light rose flower color with rose veins and a semi-creeping growth habit.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Calibrachoa sp.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Kakegawa S68’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp., and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Kakegawa S68.’ It is characterized byhaving a rose vein flower color and a semi-creeping growth habit. Thenew cultivar originated from a hybridization made in Kakegawa, Japan in1999. The female parent was a proprietary Calibrachoa breeding line withred flowers and a semi-creeping growth habit. The male parent was aproprietary Calibrachoa breeding line with rose flowers and a moundinggrowth habit.

In February 2000, F₁ seed from the above hybridization was sown in thegreenhouse. Five single-plant selections were made based on their redflower color and erect growth habit and intercrossed to produce F₂ seed.In August 2000, F₂ seed was sown and 120 total plants were evaluated.One single-plant selection was made based on its rose vein flower colorand semi-creeping growth habit. The line was then asexually propagatedthrough rooted plant cuttings in both Kakegawa, Japan and Salinas,Calif. The line has been shown to reproduce true to type in successivegenerations of asexual propagation.

Description of the Genus Calibrachoa Llave & Lex.

The genus Petunia was originally established in 1803 by A. L. Jussieu,who described both P. parviflora and P. nyctaginifloa as type species.Using a non-horticultural system that selected the first mentionedspecies as the type species (lectotype), N. L. Britton and H. A. Browndeclared P. parviflora as the type species for Petunia in 1913.

During the 1980's and 1990, H. J. Wijsman published a series of articlesregarding the ancestry of P. hybrida, the Garden Petunia, and theinter-relationship of several species classified as Petunia. Thesestudies discovered that P. hybrida and its ancestral species, P.nyctaginiflora (=P. axillaris) and P. violacea (=P. integrifolia),possessed 14 pairs of chromosomes while several other species, includingP. parviflora, possessed 18 pairs of chromosomes. Since P. parviflorawas the lectotype species for the Petunia genus, Wijsman and J. H. deJong proposed transferring the 14 chromosome species to the genusStimoryne. Horticulturists opposed reclassifying the Garden Petunia andin 1986, Wijsman proposed the alternative of making P. nyctaginiflorathe lectotype species for Petunia and transferring the 18 chromosomespecies to another genus. The I. N. G. Committee adopted this proposal.By 1990 Wijsman had transferred several species, including P. parviflora(=C. parviflora) to Calibrachoa, originally established by Llave andLexarza in 1825. Calibrachoa parviflora (=C. mexicana Llave & Lexarza)is now the type species for the genus Calibrachoa.

Classification of the current Petunia and Calibrachoa species is stillin progress. New species are also being identified. Consequently aproper description has not been written for the Calibrachoa genus.Calibrachoa can, however, be distinguished from Petunia based on thehigher chromosome number, chromosome morphology, plant branching habitand type of flower bud aestivation. Whereas Petunia species bear aflower peduncle and one new stem from a node, Calibrachoa bear a flowerpeduncle and three stems. Petunia species have a cochlear corolla bud,and a single outermost petal covers the other four, radially folded andterminally contorted petals. Calibrachoa flower buds are flat with allfive petals linearly folded and the two lower petals forming a coveraround the three other petals and fused together.

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Calibrachoa plant is illustrated by the accompanyingphotographs which show the plant's form, foliage and flowers. The colorsshown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventionalphotographic procedures.

FIG. 1. shows overall plant habit.

FIG. 2. shows the mature inflorescence.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘Kakegawa S68’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inSalinas, Calif. The detailed description was taken from plants grownunder greenhouse conditions for approximately 4 months fromtransplanting of rooted cuttings. Color references are to the RHS ColourChart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (RHS), 4^(th)Edition.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Solanaceae.        -   Species.— Calibrachoa sp. Cultivar ‘Kakegawa S68’.        -   Common name.— Petunia.-   Parentage:    -   -   Male.—Proprietary Calibrachoa breeding line 7BC-42A-1            (unpatented).        -   Female.—Proprietary Calibrachoa breeding line 9B-58C            (unpatented).-   Plant description:    -   -   Life cycle.—Tender Perennial.        -   Form.—Freely branching.        -   Habit.—Decumbent.        -   Height.—10 cm as measured from soil level to top of plant.        -   Spread.—60 cm.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cuttings.—Vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—5-6 weeks.        -   Time to bloom from propagation.—10 weeks after root            development.-   Environmental conditions for plant growth: The terminal 1.0-1.5    inches of actively growing stems were excised and the base of each    cutting dipped for one to two seconds in a 1:9 solution of DIP'N    GROW root inducing solution immediately prior to placing the cutting    into a cell tray. The cell tray contained a moistened peat    moss-based growing medium. The cuttings were misted with water from    overhead for 10 seconds every 30 minutes until sufficient roots were    formed. Rooted cuttings were transplanted and grown individually in    20 cm diameter plastic pots in a glass greenhouse located in    Salinas, Calif. Pots contained a peat moss-based growing medium.    Soluble fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 20%    potassium was applied once a day or every other day by overhead    irrigation. Pots were top-dressed with a dry, slow-release    fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorous and 18%    potassium. The typical average air temperature was 24 C.-   Stems:    -   -   Stem color.—RHS 143C (green).        -   Anthocyanin color.—RHS 77A (purple).        -   Pubescence.—Heavy.        -   Pubescence color.—RHS 155A (white).        -   Stem description.—Ancipital (round).        -   Stem diameter.—0.5 cm.        -   Stem length.—2.5 cm.        -   Internode length.—0.8-2.0 cm.-   Leaves:    -   -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Leaf shape.—Elliptical.        -   Leaf apex.—Mucronate.        -   Leaf base.—Decurrent.        -   Leaf margin.—Entire.        -   Leaf surface.—Rough, dull.        -   Leaf surface pubescence.—Slight.        -   Pubescence color.—RHS 155A (white).        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Leaf length.—1.8-2.5 cm.        -   Leaf width.—0.4-0.7 cm.        -   Leaf color.—Upper surface: RHS 139B (green) Lower surface:            RHS 138B (green).        -   Petiole length.—0.4-0.08 cm.        -   Petiole color.—RHS 144D (yellow-green).-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Flowering habit.—Indeterminate.        -   Flower type.—Solitary.        -   Flowering requirements.—Will flower so long as day length is            greater than 12 hours and temperature exceeds 13 C.        -   Duration of flowers.—About 5 days.        -   Corolla shape.—Flowers are funnel-shaped with five fused            petals and five fissures dividing the petals.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.-   Flower buds:    -   -   Bud surface.—Pubescent.        -   Bud length.—1.5 cm.        -   Bud diameter.—0.4 cm.        -   Bud shape.—Ovate.        -   Bud color.—RHS 150C (yellow-green) with RHS 79A (purple)            veins.        -   Peduncle length.—2.0-2.4 cm.        -   Peduncle color.—RHS 143B (green).-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower depth.—2.0-2.2 cm.        -   Flower tube length.—1.1-1.2 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter.—0.5 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—2.5 cm.        -   Calyx.—5 sepals, free.        -   Sepals.—Shape: Lanceolate Apex: Mucronate Margin: Entire            Sepal color: Upper surface: RHS 137A (green) Lower surface:            RHS 137C (green).        -   Petal shape.—Spatulate.        -   Petal length.—1 cm.        -   Petal width.—1 cm.        -   Petal apex.—Truncate.        -   Petal margin.—Entire.        -   Petal texture.—Glabrous.        -   Petal color.—Lobe color: Upper surface: RHS 58C (red-purple)            at tip darkening to RHS 60A (red-purple) at base mixed with            RHS 156D (gray-white) in a netted pattern with RHS 79D            (purple) midvein Lower surface: RHS 156D (gray-white) with            RHS 60A (red-purple) midvein Corolla tube color: Inner: RHS            6A (yellow) with RHS 60D (red-purple) veins Outer: RHS 160A            (gray-yellow) with RHS 60D (red-purple) veins.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamen number.—5, free.        -   Stamen color.—RHS 144B (yellow-green).        -   Pollen color.—RHS 5A (yellow).        -   Ovary.—Superior.        -   Placenta arrangement.—Central.        -   Pistil number.—1 per inflorescence.        -   Pistil length.—1.14mm.        -   Stigma color.—RHS 144A (yellow-green).        -   Style length.—0.915 mm.        -   Style color.—RHS 144A (yellow-green).        -   Seed production.—None.

Disease and Insect Resistance

‘Kakegawa S68’ has excellent resistance to rain, heat and drought,although it will not tolerate temperatures below 10 C. ‘Kakegawa S68’ issusceptible to Botrytis, powdery mildew, various stem and root rots, andcertain viruses, such as Tobacco Mosaic Virus and Impatiens NecroticSpotted Virus. ‘Kakegawa S68’ is also susceptible to aphids, leafminers,whiteflies and various Lepidoptera.

Comparison with Parental Lines and Known Cultivars

Calibrachoa ‘Kakegawa S68’ is a distinct variety of Calibrachoa due toits light rose flower color with rose veins and semi-creeping growthhabit. ‘Kakegawa S68’ is distinguished from its parents mainly by flowercolor and growth habit as shown in Table 1 below. TABLE 1 Characteristic‘Kakegawa S68’ Female Parent Male Parent Flower color Red-purple RedRose Growth habit Decumbent Semi-decumbent Semi-erect

‘Kakegawa S68’ is most similar to the variety ‘Kakegawa S52’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 15,046); however, there are differences in flower petal colorand corolla tube color as described in Table 2 below. TABLE 2Characteristic ‘Kakegawa S68’ ‘Kakegawa S52’ Petal color, RHS 58C(red-purple) RHS 48C (red) with RHS 47A upper surface at tip darkeningto RHS (red) mid-veins 60A (red-purple) mixed with RHS 156D (gray-white)in a netted pattern at base Petal color, RHS 156D (gray-white) RHS 50A(red) lower surface with RHS 60A (red-purple) veins Outer corolla RHS160A (gray-yellow) RHS 6A (yellow) tube color with RHS 60D (red-purple)veins Inner corolla RHS 6A (yellow) with RHS 5A (yellow) tube color RHS60D (red-purple) veins

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant as shown anddescribed herein.